Jean-Francois Cope, a disciple of former president Nicolas Sarkozy, announced his victory to reporters close to midnight, only for former prime minister Francois Fillon to say 20 minutes later that he was in the lead. Cope supporters said he was some 1,000 votes ahead, while Fillon said he had a lead of more than 200 votes.
The confusion followed several hours during which both camps claimed there had been irregularities in the voting process. Fillon said he was waiting for the official results of the contest from the internal voting commission, adding that "the credibility of the right and the centre" was at stake.
"We don't have the right to proclaim results before those whose responsibility it is have even done so," Fillon said.
Announcing his victory, Cope said he wanted to work hand in hand with Fillon to present a united opposition to President Francois Hollande's Socialists. Cope said the UMP (Union for a Popular Movement) party had clearly shown its will to fight Hollande's policies, which he said were "dangerous for our country" on an economic, social and fiscal level, with reforms that would divide France.
The contest to lead the party, six months after Sarkozy lost power to the Socialists, is key to determining whether the UMP will hold to the centre or move to the right in a quest to regain power in 2017.
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